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Review – New Sensations’ Love is a Dangerous Game (2011)

And I also love talking about the socio-cultural significance of adult content, so OF COURSE I’m going to review some more “Halloween Porn” this year – enjoy!!

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I love scary movies – all kinds of scary movies, from gore to thrillers to slashers to things I don’t have words for like Rosemary’s Baby (1968). So when I saw the cover for the New Sensations Romance title, Love is a Dangerous Game (2011), I was into it – yikes!!

(pictured: heyyy, psycho killer…)

But then I also noticed that whole “romance” thing – Romantic Horror? What could this be..?

100% charming is what it is!! Really, so so cute. Here’s the synopsis:

When children’s writer, Paulina Connelly [Natasha Nice], decides to embark on a new career writing horror, she has no idea how it will completely change her life. Needing guidance, she seeks advice from acclaimed horror novelist, Wes Mueller [Richie Calhoun]. In their first phone conversation she feels an undeniable connection and agrees to meet with him. But, as their relationship progresses, information about his suspicious past comes to light causing her to fear for her own safety. Is Wes the man of her dreams? …or will Paulina be his next victim? Things aren’t always what they seem in this quirky, suspenseful romance!

Here’s the trailer:

Adorable Paulina writes these adorable Molly the Magical Meerkat books. But she’s getting burnt out. And she’s developing this cerebro-philosophical crush on mysterious Wes the Mega-selling Horror Author – she sees the deeper meaning to his work. (ahhh I feel you Paulina – to see the deeper meaning of adult content!!)

So she decides to branch out, giving a new genre a try: horror. Only it isn’t working so well, prompting her to contact Wes directly for… err… “advice.” Paulina and he proceed to have a series of hot and heavy brainstorms, during which time she falls for him. Cuuute!!

But then Paulina’s prim and prissy sister [played hilariously by Kimberly Kane] starts to plant ideas in her head. Between her silly sibling and her goofball brother-in-law [Rocco Reed], Paulina starts to wonder – what kind of weirdo writes all that horror slasher stuff anyway? Paulina, who still hasn’t actually met Wes face-to-face, starts skipping his calls and pulling away. But then one day Wes shows up at her doorstep…

…and cute stuff happens!!

Love is a Dangerous Game is a super sweet, super fun play with suspense and imagination. Natasha is perfectly cast; and Richie is solid gold, balancing leading man sexy (oh my god…) with nail-biting mystery and outright hilarious quirkiness. And the four-way dynamic between the two leads and Paulina’s sister and her hubby couldn’t be better.

Some interesting moments emerge during the sex parts of the film. We get four total scenes, in order: Alyssa Branch and Xander Corvus; Kimberly Kane and Rocco Reed; Kelly Klass and Jack Lawrence; and finally Natasha and Richie.

Alyssa and Xander, who are enacting a scene from one of Wes’ books in Paulina’s imagination, are appropriately passionate. We get to see the uptight sister let her hair down with some role play in scene two (Kimberly and Rocco). And the third scene is a subtle foreshadow between Paulina’s literary agent (Jack Lawrence) and an up-and-coming young author who won’t take no for an answer (Kelly Klass). The sex in each tryst is good, though scenes one and three get kinda porny for a romance title. But honestly, who wouldn’t get a little rowdy if they were about to die in a warehouse with Xander Corvus (who speaks in the most ridiculous accent by the way haha)?

The final sex scene between Paulina and Wes (Natasha and Richie) is by far the hottest of the four. The tension built up between these two over the course of the film is palpable, their make-out foreplay is hott as hell, and the actual sex is shot awesomely – it just screams “your bedroom, with this dude you WANT, finally, NOW!!”

(pictured: back of the box)

It’s awesome.

Some other points…

– The music throughout this film is absolutely excellent. It really adds to the entire project. I was impressed!!

– Maybe this is just me and too much school, but I wondered why Kimberly’s character described Wes as a sociopath throughout the film..? If he had something, sociopathology didn’t seem like it.

– I really and truly cannot express how funny Kimberly Kane is in this film. She seems to be developing this great kind of new-age-yet-razor-sharp momma character lately. It’s very Joan Cusack, and I love it. (go here for more Kimberly Kane titles reviewed on PVV)

– You can “Ask Richie” relationship questions via New Sensations Romance right here. You totally should. You should also listen to his podcast interview on PVV –> here.

In sum, Love is a Dangerous Game is really great. Jacky St. James (who wrote the script) and director Eddie Powell mine an often-problematic genre – the slasher/horror film – for themes and tropes, but then change it up. What we get are cute butterflies and really sincere sexy magic.

Recommended for: anyone who’s into “love conquers all” romance with a little scary thrill on the side. It’s not everyday that an amalgamation of romance and slasher is done, much less done well, but Love is a Dangerous Game is a perfect title for you and your lover to curl up with on a crisp fall night.